


It's not the place, it's the person

by hopelessly_me



Category: Marvel
Genre: M/M, Mild Language, Mission Gone Wrong, Pet Names, Soft Boys, Worried Clint, first time at Wade's apartment, happy Clint, happy Wade, shocked Wade, suddenly unemployed Clint, teasing each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessly_me/pseuds/hopelessly_me
Summary: After the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D., Clint finds himself in Wade’s apartment for the first time.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Wade Wilson
Comments: 9
Kudos: 27





	It's not the place, it's the person

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vexbatch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vexbatch/gifts).



> This is for Vex because Vex deserves all the good things in life. You are wonderful and supportive, Vex. Love you!

_ I’ll see you when you get home- don’t forget the chicken _ . Clint read the text twice before he hung his head. Could his life maybe, just for a minute, slow down? No. Of course not. He checked his surroundings before he disappeared into a crevice.  _ Drive safe- lot’s of traffic out here _ . Clint wanted to text back something snarky, something along the lines of “really, something bad had to happen while I’m balls deep in enemy territory” but he couldn’t give up his and Natasha’s only line of communication. She knew he was out on a dangerous solo mission, and he knew she would have only texted him on the emergency line if it wasn’t life or death.

_ Get home sooner _ was the responding text. As far as Clint was concerned- this mission was a bust. He pulled himself out of his tight corner and turned just in time to see three people heading down the hall at him. Life could  _ never _ just give him the lemonade without the fuckin’ lemon first. 

Clint smiled awkwardly and held his hands up. “Howdy friends. No chance we can do this the easy way and I can just stroll right on out of here, is there?” The first gunshot forced him into movement. “Nope, guess not. Alright, but I’m not going easy on you.”

Clint shifted the bag on his back and looked across the street before he was on the move, jogging despite the pain. All he really wanted to do was sleep- he had been running on fumes for close to thirty-six hours now, and he hadn’t had coffee in the last twenty-four of them. Maybe he didn’t want to sleep after all- maybe coffee first would be nice. 

Clint didn’t get the full story, not yet anyway. All he really knew was S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen, leaving him very much unemployed. To top off the level of screwed he was, Natasha had released S.H.I.E.L.D. files, which meant releasing  _ his _ files. He thought he had enemies before, now he was certain that list was only going to get bigger. But it was  _ Natasha _ \- he knew she had to have a good reason for doing it, even if he didn’t know that reason yet.

Clint looked at the steps leading up to an apartment building and took a deep breath. He climbed the stairs and rolled his eyes at the “security system”- he expected better. It took a few minutes but Clint was in. He trudged his way up the flight of stairs, happy as hell it wasn’t  _ his _ flight of stairs because his location was only on the third floor instead of the fifth. 

_ Why the hell am I nervous _ ? Clint paused in front of the unassuming apartment, hands balled up at his side. He knew who lived in there, hell, he had only been dating the guy for the better half of a year now, and had known him for much longer. But this was new grounds, a place Clint hadn’t yet been and it was- well, it wasn’t providing the illusion of security that Clint was craving at the moment. Stepping in was going to mean he needed to check the place out, find every hiding spot before he felt like he remotely had a chance in case something went wrong.

_ He’s not going to let you get hurt _ . The rational side of his brain finally kicked in for a change. Even if he didn’t know the layout of the apartment, or all the exit points, weak spots- there was no way his boyfriend was going to let him get hurt. This was just Clint’s brain trying to make him find cover somewhere less busy, a way to protect himself like he always had- alone. But he didn’t  _ need _ to do that anymore.

Steadying himself because he didn’t need  _ that _ drama for tonight, Clint knocked on the door and waited patiently. He shuffled his feet and looked around, trying to keep his head down, trying not to draw too much attention. When nothing came, Clint knocked again.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold onto your fruit loops.” Clint let a surprise laugh escape and he bit his lip, letting go of it quickly.  _ Stupid split lip. _ “Some of us need to put pants on because apparently  _ some people _ -”

The door opened and the words seemed to fail Wade Wilson. His tongue made a soft click of a noise and he held onto the door. Clint smiled a little. “Surprise, sunshine,” he said, a little unsure.

“ _ What _ ?” Wade asked before he grabbed him and yanked him in before hugging Clint. “Is it Christmas or did I get hella high with Al?”

“Ow, ow, okay, stop!” Clint said as soon as he was in a tight bear hug of an embrace. “Ah, fuck, Wade! Come on, I’m fine,” he whined. “Well, mostly fine.”

Wade let go and closed the door. “I wasn’t expecting  _ you _ in person for some time, snookums.”

“Oh look, a pet name  _ not _ on the ban list. You’re getting better,” Clint commented. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Wade, and he wasn’t sure who was more relieved to see the other. “Hey,” he said when all other words failed.

“Hey yourself, honeyboo,” Wade replied, starting to smile as he reached up and poked the tip of Clint’s nose. “You look like shit, Barton.”

“That’s kinda just my face, Wilson,” Clint replied before he hung his head. “You hear the news?”

“That your super secret sexy spy job is now out the window? Yeah, heard a bit about that,” Wade admitted. “If it helps, you still have the sexy part down.”

Clint chuckled before he looked up. “I can’t go back to my apartment yet. If you don’t mind-”

“It  _ is _ Christmas,” Wade whispered and Clint was thankful he had said it with his head turned towards him or else he would have missed it. “So my honey bunny wants to stay with me? Here?”

“I know you kinda said we shouldn’t because- well-”

“Because our jobs kinda clash at times?” Wade suggested.

“At times? You are on my top ten pain in my ass list when it comes to missions, babe,” Clint laughed before Wade reached out and touched the corner of his lip. “Yes, I did the stitches myself.”

“I knew you were fucking sexy,” Wade said before he closed the gap between them. Clint half expected a more heated kiss, surprised when it was feather light and brief. Wade’s thumb trailed against Clint’s cheek. “I know we agreed that your place is better because of all the illegal business that goes down,” Wade said with a wide grin. “But I’m glad you are here.”

Clint nodded and rocked forward until his head was on Wade’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, sugar bear.”

“No,” Clint groaned. “I don’t like that one. No bears allowed in pet names. The list, Wade.”

“So picky,” Wade chastised playfully. “You sure you want to be caught staying the night in a merc’s home?”

Clint rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows we are dating.”

Wade gasped, his hands flying up to smack into his own cheeks. “You  _ tell _ people about us?”

“Starting to regret it,” Clint sang sweetly. “So… that’s a yes? You don’t mind?”

Wade’s face turned serious for a moment. “Clint, why would you ever think it’s a no?” he asked. “There are rules though. Serious ones.”

“Oh, the most,” Clint said as dryly as he could, attempting- and failing- to keep a straight face.

Wade nodded. “It starts with the fact you are still wearing pants. We don’t do that here.”

“Should this be the moment to warn you I have some gnarly looking bruises and sex is kinda off the table for a few days?” Clint asked.

“Just heal them already. Walk it off and grow new limbs. Archer up,” Wade said.

“Fuck you and your healing factor,” Clint laughed. “Goddamn maniac. Some of us don’t get to regrow shit. Not that I want to go through growing pains again.”

“You have never minded a little pain before, I bet you would love it,” Wade replied, his one verging on suggestive. “I bet I can give you the number to the guy who did a number on me. No mutant powers guaranteed.”

Clint shoved Wade playfully before he pulled his jacket off. Wade whistled slowly. “Yeah yeah, I look like shit.  _ I know _ .”

“You sure nothing is broke, honeysuckle?” Wade asked.

“Maybe a toe or three,” Clint admitted. “Is this one of those lame times I can say if I look bad you should see the other guy?” Clint wrapped his jacket around Wade’s waist and pulled him closer. “Because there were three  _ huge _ fuckers and they are kinda really dead.”

Wade studied Clint for a moment. “For being the guy who just took sex off the table for a few days, you are  _ really _ pushing things here, hun. Telling me you took out three big guys at once.”

Clint rolled his eyes playfully and kissed Wade, putting more heat into it than their last. He missed this. Even if Wade was a pain in his ass when it came to missions when they crossed paths, and their relationship took a lot of trust between gap weeks of seeing each other, Clint wouldn’t change it if it meant he wouldn’t have Wade just like this. Warm, joking, loving- everything was almost too easy.

“You still have pants on,” Wade said against Clint’s lips, turning up a smile.

“You are pushy.”

“Mmmm. Welcome home.” Wade backed off.

For the first time since arriving, Clint finally got a glimpse of the studio apartment. It was different than what Clint pictured. It wasn’t that he thought Wade was dark and broody, or even messy. He just wasn’t expecting clean walls, records hung in cases with care. Even if one wall resembled one of Clint’s, a dart board with holes  _ everywhere _ , as well as pictures from what Clint thought were targets, Wade’s home was surprisingly warm and welcoming.

“Sad because it’s lacking purple?” Wade asked.

“More like I’m impressed and ashamed of my apartment,” Clint answered. “You have been holding out on me.” He moves over to the wall that has a mess of strings and pictures. “Murder wall?”

“If I say maybe do I get handcuffed and taken to the Ice Box?”

Clint grinned and turned his head. “I’d act like hearing aids died if I still had that job. I’d even pretend I was temporarily blind” he answered. “Nice doodles of you killing Wolverine. Keep it up and I’m going to start assuming you have a thing for him.”

“How dare you,” Wade replied, moving to stand with him. “Recognize anyone? Anyone too much of a pain in your ass that I should go for them first? Please say lizard boy there,” Wade said, pointing. “I need a reason for that one.”

“I recognize a few of them. None were assigned to me- too easy.” Wade made a squawk of a noise and Clint turned, draping himself over Wade’s shoulder and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “So… what do you say I get out of these pants and into yours.”

“Clinton Franklin Barton,” Wade gasped.

“Still not my middle name,” Clint laughed. He shuffled a little further away just to put more of his weight against Wade. “Sweatpants. Want sweatpants. And coffee.”

“I’m never using that name as your middle name. It’s  _ dirty _ ,” Wade said.

“As much as I hate Francis-”

“Banned name,” Wade said.

Clint snorted. “You can’t  _ ban _ my middle name, it still exists.”

“Rudely,” Wade pointed out.

Clint laughed before he leaned against Wade the most he thought he could without slipping. He looked up with the best pout he could do without making his lip angry. “Come on, babe. I want comfy clothes. I’ve been running on adrenaline for over thirty-six hours. I haven’t had caffeine in over a day. I’m dying here. Take care of me!”

“You are so needy. It’s very attractive.”

“You just like me for my ass in tactical pants,” Clint pointed out.

“It’s a bonus. I’m all about the bonuses.” Wade was on the move, leaving Clint to take his full weight back on himself. “Am I seriously the first person you have seen since S.H.I.E.L.D. took a nosedive?”

“Uhm- yeah?” Clint answered, following Wade. “I thought about going to one of my safe houses that S.H.I.E.L.D. never learned about but it didn’t feel right. So I kind of… came here.”

Wade stopped what he was doing to look at Clint. “You thought this place felt right?”

“Maybe not this place but- uh-“ Clint looked down. He thought he was fine to joke around with Wade, but emotions? That was something he wasn’t sure he had a lot of headspace at the moment. “Shit. Okay, give me a sec.” Fuzzy slippers came into view and Clint couldn’t help but to smile. “Are those unicorns?”

“Their names are Beatrix and Buffy,” Wade answered.

Clint looked back up. “I’m shocked it’s not one of the Golden Girls.” Clint balled his hands up into the hem of his shirt before he shrugged. “I guess maybe it wasn’t the place that felt right but the person. And don’t read too much into that because I still hate you a lot.”

Wade looked stunned before he looked proud. “Awww, I hate you too, sweetums,” Wade said before he grabbed sweatpants and a shirt. “These work?”

“Literally anything will work at this point,” Clint said as he stripped off his shirt and was kicking off his pants. He caught Wade’s eyes before he looked down at himself. “So yeah… I might have gotten my ass kicked a little bit.”

Wade sighed. “You are lucky you didn’t die for the tenth time- though I’m sure Bendis might enjoy that. Dick.”

“I… what? Who?” Clint asked out of confusion.

“Nothing pumpkin snoot,” Wade said before he poked Clint’s nose. “Daddy Wade-“

“No. No daddy. Not a fan,” Clint said quickly.

“Uncle Wade-“

“Just say Wade.”

“You are making this a hell of a lot less romantic than how it sounded in my head,” Wade said, sounding exasperated. “Your favorite boyfriend has decided that it is…. Clint Barton Appreciation week!”

“Week? Can’t it just be night?” Clint asked. With a serious look in his eyes, Wade reached out and poked one of Clint’s stitched up wounds just a little too roughly, making him squirm. “Point taken.”

“Bed. Lay down.”

“Pants first.” Clint was surprised when Wade agreed easily and passed him the pants. Clint tugged them on before he blinked. He looked at Wade. “You… did you buy-“ The sweatpants fit him damn near perfect and Clint was struggling to keep his emotions in check about it.  _ Who the hell would cry over sweatpants? _

“You going to be alright?” Wade asked.

“Not even sure,” Clint admitted before he smiled at him. “Thank you. This is… thank you.” He bypassed the shirt and eyed the television before he laid down. “Oh my  _ God _ , you have definitely been holding out on me. What the hell is this thing made out of?”

“You should really invest in better things,” Wade said. “And don’t act like you don’t get paid shit.” Clint stuck his tongue out before he felt the bed move and he jumped. “Calm down, twitchy. It’s an adjustable base.”

“It’s a  _ what _ now?” Clint asked as the backing of the bed moved his head and torso into a more upright position. “You are telling me we have been having dates and sex in my shitty apartment when we could have been here?” Wade waggled his eyebrows before he pressed another button and Clint watched the bottom of the base move his legs. “... I’m never fuckin’ leaving, babe. I am staying here forever.”

“Its just a bed, Barton,” Wade teased.

“You kidding me?” Clint asked dramatically. “Wade.  _ Wade. _ Babe. Its  _ moves _ .” Clint reached out and made a grabby motion to Wade, who passed over the remote. “Come on. Climb on.”

“Now you are speaking my language!” Wade said, climbing on and straddling Clint’s hips.

“Definitely not what I meant,” Clint laughed. “Hold on. Don’t move. Stay.” He looked at the buttons and clicked the top one, the bed moving slower, inching up to a seated position. “I’m coming, honey!” Wade went to lean forward and Clint reached his free hand out, pushing his chest back to hold him still. “No! Don’t ruin the magic of the moment.”

“And you say I am ridiculous,” Wade said.

“Is the antici-” Clint stopped and grinned as Wade tried hard to glare at him. Clint stopped the bed from moving and waggled his eyebrows. “-pation killing you yet?”

“I will get a chihuahua to shit in your shoes,” Wade threatened.

“I will get a cat to piss on your mask,” Clint shot back.

“I will-”

Clint didn’t let Wade finish his statement. He surged forward and kissed him, lacing his fingers behind Wade’s neck and pulling him down. “What were you going to say?”

“Hm?” Wade asked and Clint laughed, tipping his head back. “I should get to making you that coffee.”

“No, stay,” Clint said, sliding his hands down to Wade’s wrists. “Please?”

“Food?”

“I’ll survive,” Clint promised. “Just… hold on.” He clicked the headrest button for it to move down. “Roll onto your side.”

“We didn’t discuss sides and I sleep on-”

“I will remove my hearing aids.”

“I can  _ sign _ ,” Wade argued.

“I can close my eyes,” Clint shot back. He stopped the bed and pushed Wade until he was off and laying next to Clint. Clint rolled over, putting his chin on Wade’s chest. “Unless you are starving, I think I’m alright just like this.”

Wade sighed and Clint felt Wade’s hand on his back so he snuggled down, closing his eyes. “Fine but I am making breakfast tomorrow and you are going to stay right here, even if I have to handcuff you.”

“As long as breakfast includes coffee and good morning kisses, I am game for that,” Clint answered. He tossed an arm across Wade’s chest and watched his chest rise and fall. “Can you grab the remote and lower the legs?”

“Lazy.”

“Very,” Clint smiled, kissing his chest. Wade’s hand left his back and was patting around until it found the remote. “Thank you.”

“So I have a question,” Wade said. “What now? What does the great Hawkeye do next?”

Clint frowned a little and looked out Wade’s window. “I… haven’t gotten that far,” he admitted. “I just knew I had to get somewhere safe. Now I guess I wait.”

“Are you still an Avenger? Is that a thing?”

“Not a clue. No one said anything outside of Natasha’s warning text.”

Wade was quiet for a moment. “Hey. You can always join the merc side. We could work together!” Wade was all grins. “We could be a tag team.”

“I think that is a very bad idea,” Clint commented, trying not to laugh. “We sleep together, we shouldn’t work together. Learned that lesson.”

“Yeah, but you could still be a mercenary,” Wade pointed out. “I know a guy that will give you good jobs. You can try it out for size.” Wade wiggled a little in his spot. “You can go by Hawkeye,” he sang.

Clint couldn’t help the laugh as he turned his head, resting his chin on Wade’s chest. “Do I look that dumb? I already have enough people mad at me, I don’t need more. Anyway, I’ve done the merc thing, remember?” Clint asked. Wade pouted for a moment before he smiled. “I don’t think I want to do that. At least not right away. I think for a little bit I want to rest and relax, and maybe,  _ maybe _ , try this whole being a normal guy thing? Maybe I’ll be a barista.”

“You would drink all the coffee,” Wade pointed out.

“I know. It would be perfect,” Clint said with a happy sigh.

“So did you at least complete your mission before everything went to hell?” Wade asked. “What did you do?”

Clint knew he was only asking because he had mentioned how this mission made him a little nervous to go on before he had disappeared for it. Couple that with the fact he came back littered in more than just bruises, he knew Wade was worried. Not that there was much more worrying to be had now that S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone- unless someone wanted to come for him, Clint wasn’t exactly looking for any trouble. The problem was, this mission was a touch on the personal side and he knew Wade wasn’t going to like that.

“Mhhh, I would say that is highly classified, but all the files are released anyway so what the hell,” Clint said. “I was supposed to collect an 084 that, when combined with the other half, has the ability to control minds.”

Wade frowned, his fingers pressing into Clint’s skin a little harder than they were. “That… was a shitty mission for them to send you on.”

“I took it- they didn’t force me to take it,” Clint promised. “Hill knows that I wouldn’t have-” Clint forced himself to stop. “Hill gave me the choice. And the aspect of something like that being created pushed me to collect it. I wish everyone luck trying to find it if they try to look for it now.” Clint scooted as close to Wade as he could, tightening his hold on Wade.

“Did you throw it into the ocean like that lovely lady from the Titanic?”

“Speech and all,” Clint agreed, tucking his nose against Wade’s side. “It’s weird to think about, y’know? That my whole life before S.H.I.E.L.D. kind of got erased away, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. hid my whole life away, and now it’s just… there. People can see what I did. It kind of…” Clint sighed. “It sucks. This whole thing sucks.”

“I know, sweetums, but you are going to be okay,” Wade promised. “And if anyone so much as tries to make you feel bad about it you just point me in their direction. I can introduce them to Blanche and Sophia.”

Clint smiled against Wade’s skin. “I love you, you know that?” he asked. He tilted his head up to look at Wade, who looked surprised. “I know I don’t say it as often as I should, and I know you would probably like it if I did. But… I do. I love you. And I guess I just thought you should know that.”

Wade looked stunned for another minute before he started to get a small, awkward smile on his lips. “I can’t really have you dropping that bomb on me, baby. I mean, sure, here. But if you do that shit in public I might melt and I kinda need people thinking I’m cool.”

“I’ll make sure to call you when you are doing your merc shit just to see what limb you have to grow back,” Clint murmured. “My guess is gonna be your arm. It’s almost always your arm.”

Wade’s hand was back, traveling across Clint’s back, soothing away the last of his nerves that had refused to die down. Now he just felt tired down to his bones. It started off as an unpredictable pattern before Wade had started to make small circles, something Clint could focus on as his attention started to zone out again.

“Ears.”

“Hm?”

“You need to take your hearing aids out,” Wade said. “Then you can snuggle up to me as much as you want, pookie.”

“Ban list.”

“But I like pookie!”

Clint smiled and pulled himself up. “I’ll reconsider my tolerance of pookie after I sleep for the next seventy hours.” He reached up and touched his one ear. “I am going to be out in no time.”

“That’s the plan, Hawkguy,” Wade said.

Clint smiled and took his hearing aids out, turning them off. He would need to grab a charging unit at some point. He glanced at Wade before he settled back in. Then again- Wade could sign. Maybe a few days with no hearing aids wasn’t the worst idea in the world. Clint pulled the blankets up as he rustled around until he found that spot that worked. He watched a light flash on and his eyes went to the television as the screen flipped between channels until Wade settled on Planet Earth. Clint’s eyes scanned the screen, taking in all the landscapes, all the color. 

His head was already making plans with Wade for the next few weeks- he wondered if he could convince Wade into taking an extended vacation, no merc business allowed. A road trip sounded nice, they hadn’t done that yet and getting out of New York sounded more enticing by the minute. Maybe Wade was a fan of tent camping and they could hit up National Parks, do some hiking. Or maybe they could find a place to go white water rafting- it would be nice to do that for fun instead of doing it to escape from a mission. Just the thought of going somewhere, anywhere, with Wade brought him a sense of peace.

He felt himself zoning out again, his mind quieting down. He closed his eyes and soaked in Wade’s warmth as he dozed off again. The last thing he could remember was a set of lips pressed against the crown of his head.


End file.
